A federal judge on Monday initiated a procedural move to deny a CBS motion seeking to dismiss President Donald Trump’s lawsuit over a 60 Minutes pre-election broadcast.
Trump amended his suit on Friday, adding a new plaintiff and arguing he suffered $20 billion in damages — up from $10 billion — when the network edited an interview with Kamala Harris last fall ahead of the election.
Variety reports CBS has called the president’s suit “completely without merit,” though parent company Paramount Global is said to be pursuing a settlement as it seeks regulatory approval to merge with Skydance. The outlet revealed the judge’s reasons for his move:
Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who is based in Amarillo, noted in his order that the denial is procedural.
“Nothing in this Order shall be construed as a determination on the merits of either Plaintiffs’ or Defendants’ substantive arguments and claims in the Motions or Amended Complaint,” the judge wrote.
Trump’s lawsuit against CBS – filed before the Republican won election to his second term – alleges 60 Minutes engaged in election interference when it edited the Harris interview to make the former vice president appear more articulate than she was on the subject of Israel and the war in Gaza.
CBS sought to dismiss the suit by arguing the broadcast was protected by the First Amendment.
It added journalists regularly edit interviews for time, space and clarity.
60 Minutes posted online last Wednesday the unedited transcripts of its October interview with Harris that sparked the legal action, claiming they proved its broadcast was not “doctored or deceitful.”
The case is: Trump v. CBS Broadcasting Inc. No. 2:24-cv-236 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
